SAP SAC - Step by Step Guide to get data from SAP S4 CDS view to SAC

1. Prepare the CDS View in S/4HANA

• Identify or Create the CDS View: Determine the CDS view that contains the data you need for analysis in SAC. You might use a standard SAP-delivered view or create a custom one tailored to your requirements.
• Ensure Analytical Annotations: The CDS view must have the necessary annotations to be consumed by SAC. Key annotations include:
  • @Analytics.query: true (Marks the view as suitable for analytical queries)
  • @AnalyticsDetails.query.resultCache: #ACTIVE (Enables caching for better performance)
  • Annotations for measures, dimensions, hierarchies, etc. (Define the structure of the data for SAC)
• Activate and Publish as OData Service:
  • Activate the CDS view in S/4HANA.
  • Publish it as an OData service to make it accessible from external systems like SAC. This usually involves creating a service definition and binding it to the CDS view.

2. Establish Connection in SAC

• Create a New Connection: In SAC, go to Connections and create a new connection to your S/4HANA system.
• Choose Connection Type: Select "Live Data Connection" to establish a real-time connection.
• Provide Connection Details: Enter the required information, such as the S/4HANA system URL, client, user credentials, etc.
• Test the Connection: Verify that the connection is successful.

3. Create a Model in SAC

• Start a New Model: In SAC, go to Create > Model and choose "Get data from a datasource".
• Select the Connection: Choose the live data connection you created for your S/4HANA system.
• Choose Data Source: Select "SAP S/4HANA" as the data source type.
• Browse and Select the CDS View: Navigate through the available data sources and select the published OData service corresponding to your CDS view.
• Data Preview and Adjustment: SAC will preview the data from the CDS view. You can adjust data types, define measures and dimensions, and apply filters if needed.
• Save the Model: Give your model a name and save it.

4. Build Stories and Visualizations

• Create a Story: In SAC, go to Create > Story.
• Add the Model: Select the model you created based on the CDS view.
• Design Visualizations: Use SAC's drag-and-drop interface to create charts, tables, and other visualizations to analyze your data.
• Add Interactivity: Incorporate filters, drill-downs, and other interactive features to explore your data in depth.
• Share and Collaborate: Share your stories with others for collaboration and decision-making.

Important Considerations:

• Performance Optimization: To ensure optimal performance, consider using aggregation and caching techniques in your CDS view and SAC model.
• Security: Implement appropriate security measures to control access to sensitive data in both S/4HANA and SAC.
• Data Governance: Establish clear data governance processes to maintain data quality and consistency.
• Error Handling: Implement error handling mechanisms in your CDS view and SAC model to gracefully handle potential data issues.

By following these steps, you can effectively extract data from your SAP S/4HANA CDS views and leverage the powerful analytical capabilities of SAP Analytics Cloud for data-driven insights and decision-making.